Hailsham Town 2 v 2 Seaford Town

Tuesday 21st August 2018
Southern Combination Football League Division One
The Beaconsfield, Hailsham
Admission: £5.00
Programme: 50p
Attendance: 91
Match Rating: 4

I decided to take in this midweek game when a work colleague said he would be going too. It would be nice to take in some local non league football anyway, as the previous and next weekends would involve long journeys with quite different levels of football.

Not much has changed at The Beaconsfield for what would be the club's first game of the season, after an unfit pitch caused their opening league fixture to be postponed, after the long hot summer had caused large cracks to appear in the surface. The pitch was still not in great condition this evening despite extensive work being carried out on it by volunteers in recent weeks, with plenty of bare patches and the grass left long, which noticeably held up the ball when played along the floor. After years of the programme following the same format, a change in editor has brought about a change in design and layout. Plenty to read inside and perfectly acceptable, particularly considering the very fair price of 50p is charged for it, and  although it is now less neat and tidy compared with previous editions, it certainly has more interesting material inside.

Hailsham opened their season with an impressive 0-4 win away at Midhurst and Easebourne in their only game to date, whilst Seaford won their opening game at home before losing their second, as well as a League Cup tie, both games away from home. Both teams had quite average seasons last season, Hailsham finishing in eighth while Seaford finished in 12th place.

On a bright but slightly chilly evening, this was a really entertaining game between two fairly local rivals. Hailsham were not helped with their striker Peter Cooper having to be substituted on 5 minutes, but they had the better of the opening quarter of the game and after going a close a few times, they did take the lead on 19 minutes. Scott Taylor received the ball from a throw-in, before striking the ball from outside the area into the far top corner. It was a spectacular goal, but whether it was intentional is debatable. That stirred the visitors into life, creating some decent chances and having a goal ruled out for offside on 23 minutes, before they did take the lead on 28 minutes. After a shot was ripped wide, from the resultant corner James Walker stabbed the ball home. It was then Hailsham's turn to have a good spell, and one shot hit the post.

The second half continued in a similar vein, and after Hailsham had a goal ruled out for an apparent foul on the keeper after the striker contested the ball and nodded it into the net, it was Seaford who took the lead on 55 minutes, Walker heading the ball just inside the far post following a corner. But within a couple of minutes, Hailsham equalised, Dean Stevens drilling the ball low inside the post from outside the area - a very good goal. Both teams had chances to win the game in the remaining half hour or so, but in the end the points were shared, which was a fair outcome.

Accrington Stanley 1 v 1 Charlton Athletic

Saturday 18th August 2018
Football League One
Crown Ground, Accrington
Admission: £20.00
Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 2,265 (678 away fans)
Match Rating: 3

As I approach completion of the 92, this was a Charlton away day that I looked out for on fixture release day, when it came as a big relief that it the game was scheduled for a Saturday, and outside of the winter months, to enable me to tick off the furthest ground I had not previously visited of the 92.

Having set off from home at just before 6 to arrive in Bromley in time for the Charlton coach leaving at 7.40, some heavy traffic on the A1 following an accident around Doncaster meant that we arrived at the ground at just after 2. The stadium is quite attractively decorated around the outside with club signage, but there are just various small buildings and huts housing the club shop, ticket and programme sales, which is the first indication of what a small ground this is, very much having the feeling of being a non-league ground - which in fairness is exactly what it was up to 2006, and the level of support Accrington attract has not really made any expansion particularly necessary or urgent. Visiting fans are allocated quite a large uncovered terrace behind one of the goals - so it was a considerable relief that it did not rain today. Facilities in the away end are pretty basic, with a bar housed in hut more common to sell programmes from, a larger burger van/trailer, and toilets provided in portakabins. Behind the other goal there is a covered terrace, whilst along one of the lengths, there are two stands joined together offering seating with quite a low relief and having about a dozen rows at most. The remaining length is something of a building site at the moment, with only the foundations and metal supports in place, after the previous stand along that length was demolished during the summer and will be replaced with a modern all-seater stand later in the season, and which looks like being a similar in size to the other stands within the ground. After Football League clubs voted to end the compulsory issuing of match day programmes over the summer, it was a small relief that Accrington do indeed still produce programmes. And it was a decent publication too, 64 pages in full colour with plenty to read.

With Charlton still being owned by the disinterested Roland Duchâtelet, after a takeover looked tantalisingly close during the close season only for the trail to go quiet, it has been difficult to feel that optimistic about the season ahead, with a threadbare squad depleted further by long term injuries and with a couple of notable exceptions, bolstered mainly by young loan signings. But the one shining light is the manager Lee Bowyer, who somehow seems to have injected some belief into the squad, resulting in optimism levels rising higher. After losing at Sunderland 1-2 on the opening day after conceding a goal deep into added on time having led at half time, Charlton scored a winner in added on time last Saturday, gaining a small amount of revenge against the team that knocked them out of the play-offs season, Shrewsbury. Although Charlton lost 3-0 at MK Dons in midweek, it was a reserve team that took to the field in that game. Having been promoted last season, Accrington came into this game with a similar record to Charlton, losing their opening game at home to Gillingham 0-2, before beating Bristol Rovers 1-2 away. They also had a disappointing time in the League Cup, listing 6-1 at Mansfield. Technically, today would be the first time that Accrington Stanley had ever played against Charlton Athletic, although the previous incarnation of Accrington Stanley played Charlton in an FA Cup tie back in 1924.

On a very overcast afternoon, the game was quite even in the opening stages, and it was Charlton who took the lead on 15 minutes, when left back Lewis Page crossed the ball beautifully from the left, and Karlan Ahearne-Grant headed the ball from a central position past the keeper and against the underside of the bar, and the linesman ruled that the ball bounced just over the line before bouncing out. Charlton then went on to have a good spell, and within a couple of minutes, Grant fired a low shot from outside the area which went just wide of the post. Accrington did not really threaten for most of the half, but their best chance came in the final minute, Billy Kee sending a glancing header just wide of the far post.

Charlton continued to have the better of things in the second half, having a few unthreatening attempts at goal before, on 73 minutes, George Lapslie drove through the midfield from the centre circle to the penalty area before laying the ball off to Grant who dribbled well past a couple of defenders before striking a shot which hit the near post but as the angle was tight, he probably should have tried to find a team mate. That was to spark the hosts into life, who upped their game and were the better side for the remainder of the match, on 78 minutes the equalised. After Sam Finley sent in a low cross into the box and after an initial shot by Sean McConville was blocked, and then Offrande Zanzala's shot was well parried by keeper Dillon Phillips, Jordan Clarke fired the ball across the keeper and into the net. Accrington then looked the more likely to nick a winner, although both sides had half chances, but it was Charlton who had the final chance of the game with the last kick of the game when Grant struck a free kick from 30 yards, but the ball went just wide.

A point apiece was probably a fair result overall, with neither side doing enough to deserve the win, and a point will probably be valuable to Accrington in their surely inevitable battle against relegation, and a welcome point from a trip to the north for Charlton, for whom mid-table obscurity surely beckons.

Rusthall 3 v 0 Wick

Sunday 12th August 2018
FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Culverden Stadium, Tunbridge Wells
Admission: £7.00
Programme: £1.50
Attendance: 185
Match Rating: 3

As I will be unable to watch a game in the next round of the FA Cup, I decided to take in my second game of this round today, at a ground that I have visited many times since my schooldays, although unusually Tunbridge Wells would not be the home team.

Extensive pitch renovations at Rusthall's home ground, Jockey Farm, over the summer is resulting in the club playing all of their league fixtures away from home until September, and as they were drawn at home for this game, they had to seek an alternative venue, and came to agreement with Tunbridge Wells Football Club to host this game at Culverden Stadium, where they also played the Extra Preliminary Roung fixture last year against CB Hounslow. The Culverden Stadium remains an excellent facility to host Step 5 football, freshly decorated in club colours whilst retaining an attractive setting nestled amongst woodland and with a large uncovered terrace behind one goal and a stand stretching almost the entire length, containing some seating and some terrace steps to stand on, with the players entering the pitch between the two sections. The 24 page programme was printed in colour and had plenty of reading material and relevant statistics.

The home side would be favourites to progress today, although they had a tricky time in their first season at Step 5 level last season, finishing second bottom of the Southern Counties East League Premier Division, but avoided relegation. They have opened this season with a 2-5 defeat at Canterbury, but then beat Crowborough 1-3 in midweek. Wick play at Step 6, in Division One of the Southern Combination Football League, and after finishing in fifth place last season, and in their only game so far this season, they won 1-2 at Storrington.

On an overcast, slightly muggy afternoon with occasional light rain showers, this was quite a disappointing match, that never looked in doubt as Rusthall controlled proceedings pretty much from start to finish, as Wick looked rather lightweight outfit who put in a surprisingly flat and lacklustre performance. Rusthall opened the scoring on 14 minutes, Alex Carey playing a low ball forward for Tom Cameron to run onto, before driving low past the keeper. Rusthall came close to increasing their lead on several occasions before half time, but their shots went just high or wide of the goal, and in the final minute of the half, a first time shot by Cameron on the run from well outside the area hit the crossbar.

So, a narrow lead at the break, but the visitors would really have to up their game if they were to have a chance of staying in the competition. And they did have quite a good spell immediately after the break, but Rusthall scored their second on 50 minutes, when Carey fired across the keeper into the top far corner. That pretty much sealed the tie, as Rusthall dominated proceedings once more, coming close on countless occasions before they finally scored their third two minutes from time when a low ball across goal was tapped home by substitute Callum Strachan.

And so Rusthall claimed their first ever win in the FA Cup, and will face a daunting trip to Isthmian League South East Division outfit Cray Wanderers in the next round. It was as comfortable a result as could be, and Rusthall could easily have more than doubled their tally, and although it was always going to be a difficult task for Wick to get a positive result today, the manner of defeat would surely be really disappointing for them.

Oxhey Jets 3 v 4 Wantage Town

Saturday 11th August 2018
FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Boundary Stadium, South Oxhey
Admission including Programme: £6.00
Attendance: 77
Match Rating: 4

With the long road to Wembley starting today, I wanted to take in an FA Cup game, at a new ground and ideally between clubs from different leagues. And so, for the third time in four Saturdays, I decided to visit a ground in the Spartan South Midlands League.

Although Carpenders Park is the closest train station to Boundary Stadium, I chose to alight at the station before, Hatch End, which is as far as the London Travelcard covers on the line, but is still only about a 20 minute walk to the ground, partly across countryside. After passing by a swimming pool and the clubhouse, spectators enter the ground by paying admission at a small white hut, at the top of a grass bank along one length of the pitch. To the left of the entrance, there is a wooden bench, whilst to the right, there are three rows of steps to stand on, uncovered but with a large incline between rows and white railings to the front. Straddling the half way line there are two modern metallic all-seater stands, with the players' tunnel between the two. Towards the far corner flag there is a further quite long stand, covering a flat standing area. Behind the goal and along the other length there is just hard standing, as there is behind the remaining goal closest to the entrance, apart from a small metallic all-seater stand located right in the corner, with the seats inside not in the best of condition. Indeed, the ground generally is rather scruffy and tired, but that does add to the character of the place, and apart from the busy train line passing close by, it is quite a pleasant place to watch football at. Programmes were free with admission and consisted of a generic 16 page shell printed in colour on glossy paper containing club facts and advertising, and inside was a 16 page insert which was a good enough read, with welcome messages, an introduction to the visiting team and various stats, as useful as they are with the season just a week old.

This match pitched a club from the Spartan South Midlands League hosting one from the Hellenic League Premier Division, and on paper at least, the away team would certainly have been favourites to progress today. Oxhey Jets finished joint bottom of their division last season, but were placed third from bottom on goal difference and goals scored. So far this season, they have picked up a win and a defeat from their opening two games this season. Wantage Town just missed out on promotion by two points, having finished in fourth place in their first season back in the Hellenic League following a three season stay in the Southern League, and have started this season with two wins.

On an overcast, fairly muggy afternoon, with the prolonged scorching temperatures this summer having finally come to an end earlier in the week, this was very much a case of a game of two halves in terms of entertainment levels, with the first half proving quite a dull affair with precious little incident or attacking intent. The visitors did look the better team, and they were awarded a penalty on 28 minutes, following a grapple in the box. Chris Jackson converted into the bottom right corner, just beating the keeper's dive. There was little else of note throughout the half, and so it was the visitors who held a slender lead at half time.

Within two minutes of the restart, the visitors doubled their lead and looked well on their way to the next round, Jim Glover crossing from the byline and Harvey Scholars guided the ball into the net with a lovely glanced header past the keeper. But three minutes later and the home side pulled a goal back, Luke Jones hitting a lovely shot on the run from the edge of the area into the top left corner. That really inspired Oxhey, and a couple of minutes after a header forced a fine fingertip save by the keeper, they equaliser on the hour mark. After an initial shot came back off the woodwork, Jones slotted the ball home. And the turnaround was complete four minutes later. Andrew Brennan ran into the penalty area, albeit increasing the angle towards goal, but he eventually struck the ball low past keeper and into the far bottom corner of the net. By now Wantage were looking quite desperate, but gradually they recovered their composure, and 71 minutes a powerful shot from a central position forced the Oxhey keeper into a fine reflex save. But from the resultant corner, a foul in the box resulted in a second penalty being awarded for the visitors, and Jackson scored in the bottom right corner but this time the keeper dived the wrong way. The match really could have gone either way, although it was Wantage who had the stand-out chances in the closing stages, and three minutes into added on time, it was Wantage who scored the winner, with a curling cross beautifully headed  by Connor Mattimore across the keeper and into the net.

So a dramatic end to an eventful second half that no-one could have predicted at half time after a tepid 45 minutes of football. The result was harsh on Oxhey after battling back so well having been 0-2 down, but at least they avoided a midweek trip to deepest Oxfordshire, and Wantage probably just about deserved to progress over the 90 minutes despite their major wobble midway through the second half which almost proved fatal.

Video highlights of this match can be found by clicking here .